RAWALPINDI: Thousands of residents in Rawalpindi who have been waiting for months to receive their driving licence cards can now legally use digital licences after the City Traffic Police launched an emergency e driving licence system to ease mounting public frustration.
The decision comes after nearly 32,000 driving licence cards remained delayed due to the centralised printing system in Lahore, where all Punjab driving licences are processed before being dispatched through Pakistan Post. Applicants who completed their driving tests and fulfilled all legal requirements were left waiting for up to three months without receiving physical cards.
Chief Traffic Officer Farhan Aslam confirmed that the Rawalpindi traffic police had recently received around 13,000 undelivered licence cards that Pakistan Post failed to distribute for various reasons. Following the development, traffic police teams were assigned to directly contact applicants and ensure delivery through the City Traffic Police offices.
Officials said that around 4,000 pending cards have already been handed over to applicants, while efforts are continuing to clear the remaining backlog. According to traffic authorities, more than 15,500 applications for fresh driving licences are processed every month in Rawalpindi, including licences for motorcycles, cars and light transport vehicles.
In April alone, over 15,545 citizens applied for fresh licences, while 718 applied for endorsements and nearly 4,800 submitted renewal requests. The growing number of applications has exposed serious weaknesses in Punjab’s centralised licence printing system, forcing local authorities to face public anger over repeated delays.
To reduce inconvenience, the City Traffic Police has started issuing officially verified e driving licences that applicants can laminate and legally use until their original cards arrive. Traffic officials say the digital copies are fully recognised and valid across Punjab, offering temporary relief to thousands still trapped in the province wide licence backlog.
